212 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XV. 



guide to the lochs, as I was unable for some reason 

 to go out with him myself. The little boy took the 

 telescope, which their attendant carried, and having 

 looked along the shores of the lakes and through 

 all the likely parts of the ground, which he knew as 

 well as I did, from having frequently ridden that 

 way to join me, he shut up the glass with the excla- 

 mation, characteristic of a deerstalker — " There 

 they are !" My friend's question of course was — 

 " Who are there ?" And on being told it was a 

 flock of geese, he at once understood why he had 

 been led on from point to point under different 

 excuses ; for he bad good-naturedly followed pas- 

 sively wherever he was told to go. Having been 

 shown the geese, he sat down with the glass and 

 allowed the child to attempt the task of stalking 

 them, but without having the slightest expectation 

 of his success. 



Having watched him for some time till he be- 

 came invisible, having apparently sunk into the 

 ground amongst the rushes and long grass, his at- 

 tention was next attracted by seeing the geese 

 suddenly rise, and almost immediately ])erceiving 

 that one fell to the ground. The next instant he 

 heard the double report of the boy's gun. Another 

 goose left the flock and fell at some distance, but it 

 was unnoticed by him and the servant, as their 



